Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar Duespotapri.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Duespotaprixe2x80x99.
The new Poinsettia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Poinsettia cultivars with uniform plant habit and attractive flower bract coloration.
The new Poinsettia originated from a cross made by the Inventor of a proprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number WH-6-00, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent, with a proprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number 94-513-8, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Duespotapri was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Rheinberg, Germany. The selection of this plant was based on its attractive flower bract coloration and uniform plant habit.
Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by vegetative terminal cuttings taken at Rheinberg, Germany, has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Duespotaprixe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Duespotaprixe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Inflorescences with pink-colored flower bracts with darker pink random flecking.
2. Dark green-colored leaves with green-colored petioles.
3. Uniform and rounded plant habit.
4. Early flowering; response time, about seven to eight weeks.
5. Excellent post-production longevity.
Compared to plants of the female parent, with selection WH-6-00, plants of the new Poinsettia have darker green foliage. In addition, plants of the new Poinsettia and the female parent differ in flower bract coloration as plants of the female parent have white-colored flower bracts.
Compared to plants of the male parent, the selection 94-513-8, plants of the new Poinsettia have lighter green foliage. In addition, plants of the new Poinsettia and the male parent differ in flower bract coloration as plants of the male parent have red-colored flower bracts.
Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the cultivar Fiscor Candy, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,593. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of the cultivar Fiscor Candy in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were taller than plants of the cultivar Fiscor Candy.
2. Plants of the new Poinsettia had shorter and darker green leaves than plants of the cultivar Fiscor Candy.
3. Plants of the new Poinsettia flowered up to one week earlier than plants of the cultivar Fiscor Candy.
4. Plants of the new Poinsettia had larger inflorescences with larger flower bracts than plants of the cultivar Fiscor Candy.
5. Flower bract coloration of plants of the new Poinsettia was more intense than flower bract coloration of plants of the cultivar Fiscor Candy.